A Research Review of Anwar Sheikh’s Objections on the Holy Qur’ān

Abstract

Anwar Shaikh (1928–2006) was an outrageous critique of Islam with his special focus on the divine and revelational origin, literary coherence, and moral framework of the Holy Quran. This article presents a descriptive, analytical, and critical review of Shaikh’s mostly highlighted objections against the Quranic origin. Shaikh’s critique revolves around the allegations of human authorship, and emphatically allege of   borrowings from Judeo-Christian and pre-Islamic Arabian traditions, contextual misinterpretations of verses related to jihad and warfare, and claims that Quranic universalism is the outcome of Arab ethno-cultural hegemony. Employing classical and contemporary Islamic hermeneutics, like Usul al-Tafsir, contextual analysis like Asbab al-Nuzul, and linguistic evaluation, this study critically examines the validity of his tempestuous attacks. The findings reveal that Shaikh’s arguments are devoid of basic and profound type of literacy of revelation. Drawing logic and reasoning from the verses from the holy Quran within their comprehensive legal and socio-historical frameworks, this paper elaborates the scientific coherence of the Quran, offering an objective scholarly rebuttal to Shaikh’s polemical discourse.

Keywords: Anwar Shaikh, Holy Quran, Quranic Sciences, Islamic Hermeneutics, Objections, Textual Criticism, Polemical Discourse